The Monster Mash was the bridging pathway activity that I choose for my second grade class. The majority of my students are about seven and eight years old and I felt that this would be an activity that they would enjoy because they are a particularly active group with a few outgoing characters.
I started out the activity by having them brainstorm and modeling movements that some professionals do. This was helpful because some students started getting off track by saying things that doctors or teachers usually say. It was an opportunity for me to clarify they are only to be moving and not speaking.
We then got in a circle and with the music I modeled the first dance. I then tapped the next student on the head and they would go in the middle only if they wanted to. The students in the middle were quite creative and precise with their monster dances. All the girls ended up going in the middle and about half of the boys. The most comical boy or class clown ended up going twice because the rest of the students cheered him on to do so. All the students in the circle were participating actively and only one or two had to be given a look or a tap to get back on track.
After settling down I asked them for descriptive words for the monster. Then, using these words from the board we wrote a story as a class. About three fourths of the class actively participated in creating a monster story. This is an activity that I would definitely do with a young class in the future. The only thing I would change is the wording of the descriptive words I used so they could more easily fit into the story.
Story boarding as a bridge point to writing was the activity I choose for my second grade Spanish class. Being ages seven and eight it is quite a challenge to write stories and for many to even tell a story. I thought that this activity would be helpful for my young students, especially those visual learners, because they could see the story before telling it.
First I asked them to bring a picture they liked. They also had the option of just drawing if they wanted to so. I then gave them a rectangular piece of construction paper which they folded into 4 parts. The first part was for their characters, the second was for the setting, the third for the problem and the last part was for the solution.
The children loved bringing in photos of themselves, their brothers or sisters or their pet. About a fourth of the class preferred only to draw. For those who did not like to draw, which were 2, they were allowed to write words as long as they respected the different parts of the story. After finishing their posters they showed them to their classmates and told the story that went along with it. Their classmates were encouraged to give them two stars and a wish. This meant that they gave the storyteller feedback about two things that they liked about the story and one that they would have improved.
I would do this activity again because besides focusing on spatial, linguistic and intrapersonal intelligences it gave many students the opportunity to talk about themselves. For the next time, I would like to give them more resources like leggos or play-doh so that I could include those who like to build.
Assignment 6:
Draw five bins: 1 plastic, 1 tetrapack, 1 paper, 1 trash and 1 compost. Draw and label at least 3 things that can go in each bin.
Make a pod cast about an environmental issue in school.
Present a plan to school administrators persuading them to change an environmental problem we have in our school.
Take a survey to find how many people are using plastic bags instead of cloth bags. Create a graph showing results and present it to the class.
Make a poster for water saving rules in your house.
Write a letter to a newspaper about environmental issues in our city.
Make a play about the importance of reusing . Compare positive and negative everyday actions on the environment.
Have a debate about the credibility of global warming.
Draw a story board about how we can save energy in school.
Assignment 5: Reflection: Why some brains are programmed differently? They say whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Difficulties, disabilities, challenges are all things that create obstacles but it doesn't necessarily mean that they can stop us. I think the same goes for people who struggle with a LD, autism, etc. They always tend to have a talent that at the time is not recognized. Sometimes the talent could just be the motivation to work really hard and achieve a specific goal they set out for themselves. How many successful people struggle with these kinds of challenges? Incredibly, famous people with dyslexia include Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Pablo Picasso, and Leonardo Da Vinci, to name a few. It makes you wonder if someone's supposed weaknesses may actually be a strength.
Assignment 4:
Mariana, Rita, Carina
High Functioning Autistic or Asperger
Autism is a complex collection of behaviors that generally surfaces around age two. Aspergers is a mild form autism. Children can have a wide range of abilities, and the diagnosis runs along a spectrum, reflecting the child's level of cognitive and language impairment.
Autism is usually characterized by physical repetitive movements such as rocking or flapping of the arms.These children have problems in social interaction, they usually engage in repetitive, obsessive routines. They focus on a single interest. Sensory stimulation often overwhelms these kids with fury or shutting down completely.
reinforce positive behaviors in a structured environment to encourage learning.
break skills into small measurable tasks
rewards are very helpful
do not reward in any way negative behaviors
teachers should keep a record of what is working and what is not
Floortime Foundation emphasizes social, emotional and intelectual capacities instead of focused skills and isolated behavior.
Assignment 3:
Save Energy
Assignment 2: Differentiation is about focusing on student’s strengths so that they can enjoy and excel in class activities. It helps if you really know your students and some experts suggest that the first weeks of school should be dedicated to solely getting to know them. It makes students more comfortable and welcomed. It unites them to the teacher, the other students in the class and even the school. Part of differentiation is knowing about learning styles and multiple intelligences. There are three learning styles visual, auditory and kinesthetic. These are the styles that learners are attracted to. Then there are nine multiple intelligences which are musical, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, kinesthetic, mathematical logical, linguistic, naturalist and esthetic or spiritual. There are four things that these intelligences need to have to be considered. They need to have always been there, they need to be important for at least two cultures, they need to have a symbolic system and they need to stimulate a part of the brain.
Assignment 1:
My name is Rita Padilla and I am a second grade teaching assistant.
I lived in Miami from the age of 3 to 21 but I am Peruvian. I love reggae. I love all art and creativity.
The Monster Mash was the bridging pathway activity that I choose for my second grade class. The majority of my students are about seven and eight years old and I felt that this would be an activity that they would enjoy because they are a particularly active group with a few outgoing characters.
I started out the activity by having them brainstorm and modeling movements that some professionals do. This was helpful because some students started getting off track by saying things that doctors or teachers usually say. It was an opportunity for me to clarify they are only to be moving and not speaking.
We then got in a circle and with the music I modeled the first dance. I then tapped the next student on the head and they would go in the middle only if they wanted to. The students in the middle were quite creative and precise with their monster dances. All the girls ended up going in the middle and about half of the boys. The most comical boy or class clown ended up going twice because the rest of the students cheered him on to do so. All the students in the circle were participating actively and only one or two had to be given a look or a tap to get back on track.
After settling down I asked them for descriptive words for the monster. Then, using these words from the board we wrote a story as a class. About three fourths of the class actively participated in creating a monster story. This is an activity that I would definitely do with a young class in the future. The only thing I would change is the wording of the descriptive words I used so they could more easily fit into the story.
Story boarding as a bridge point to writing was the activity I choose for my second grade Spanish class. Being ages seven and eight it is quite a challenge to write stories and for many to even tell a story. I thought that this activity would be helpful for my young students, especially those visual learners, because they could see the story before telling it.
First I asked them to bring a picture they liked. They also had the option of just drawing if they wanted to so. I then gave them a rectangular piece of construction paper which they folded into 4 parts. The first part was for their characters, the second was for the setting, the third for the problem and the last part was for the solution.
The children loved bringing in photos of themselves, their brothers or sisters or their pet. About a fourth of the class preferred only to draw. For those who did not like to draw, which were 2, they were allowed to write words as long as they respected the different parts of the story. After finishing their posters they showed them to their classmates and told the story that went along with it. Their classmates were encouraged to give them two stars and a wish. This meant that they gave the storyteller feedback about two things that they liked about the story and one that they would have improved.
I would do this activity again because besides focusing on spatial, linguistic and intrapersonal intelligences it gave many students the opportunity to talk about themselves. For the next time, I would like to give them more resources like leggos or play-doh so that I could include those who like to build.
Assignment 6:
Assignment 5:
Reflection: Why some brains are programmed differently?
They say whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Difficulties, disabilities, challenges are all things that create obstacles but it doesn't necessarily mean that they can stop us. I think the same goes for people who struggle with a LD, autism, etc. They always tend to have a talent that at the time is not recognized. Sometimes the talent could just be the motivation to work really hard and achieve a specific goal they set out for themselves. How many successful people struggle with these kinds of challenges? Incredibly, famous people with dyslexia include Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Pablo Picasso, and Leonardo Da Vinci, to name a few. It makes you wonder if someone's supposed weaknesses may actually be a strength.
Assignment 4:
Save Energy
Assignment 2:
Differentiation is about focusing on student’s strengths so that they can enjoy and excel in class activities. It helps if you really know your students and some experts suggest that the first weeks of school should be dedicated to solely getting to know them. It makes students more comfortable and welcomed. It unites them to the teacher, the other students in the class and even the school. Part of differentiation is knowing about learning styles and multiple intelligences. There are three learning styles visual, auditory and kinesthetic. These are the styles that learners are attracted to. Then there are nine multiple intelligences which are musical, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, kinesthetic, mathematical logical, linguistic, naturalist and esthetic or spiritual. There are four things that these intelligences need to have to be considered. They need to have always been there, they need to be important for at least two cultures, they need to have a symbolic system and they need to stimulate a part of the brain.
Assignment 1:
My name is Rita Padilla and I am a second grade teaching assistant.
I lived in Miami from the age of 3 to 21 but I am Peruvian.
I love reggae.
I love all art and creativity.